GO Nakayama's Greco GO Special

 

One day, a red car appeared in front of the store!!
Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be the company president's car.
I rushed over saying, "Great job!!" and was surprised when I opened the trunk!!
Yes, the president had acquired a whole bunch of Japanese vintage items!!
Such a large shipment is extremely rare... a huge number of vintage instruments I'd never seen before were piled up.
A huge shipment of guitars is being brought into the store!!
A few days later,
A sudden order came from the president...
President: "Nakayama!! Try writing a column about the Greco GO series!!"
Naka: "Uh...!! Ah, yes... I'll do it."
Oh no... I've accepted it...
There's no turning back now... I have no choice but to do it!!
I was enthusiastic, but I had absolutely no knowledge of Japanese vintage items...
I have to do something... I'm rummaging through old catalogs and valuable documents... Time to study!!
And so on and so forth
My Greco research journey has begun!!
This time, our target is the GO series, which boasts immense popularity and trust among Japanese guitar fans!!
We'll be sharing the story behind its creation and highlighting the wonderful appeal of the GO series!!

 

 

Greco is a proprietary brand of Kanda Shokai, established in 1960...
In 1963, they began selling electric guitars on a full scale, initially commissioning Fujigen to produce them on an OEM basis.
In the 1970s, a copycat war broke out among guitar manufacturers in the domestic market!
Greco, amidst fierce competition, also produced numerous famous copycat models!!
Following the phenomenal sales success of the Les Paul EG series, they have been releasing a series of Gibson-style copy models!!

From the late 1970s onwards, GRECO began to focus on creating its own original brands, and the GRECO GO series, which is highly regarded by Japanese vintage enthusiasts, was first launched in 1977!
It subsequently evolved into the GO II and then the GO III, becoming a legendary instrument with a rich history that is still talked about today.

For the production of GO III
It's also famous for being developed and used by Takami Asano, the guitarist of Godiego, who took the world by storm with numerous hit songs such as "Monkey Magic," "Galaxy Express 999," and "Gandhara"!
Back then, it was the object of admiration for aspiring guitarists.

TCGAKKIHere's a look at the GO→GOⅡ→GOⅢ models that have arrived, categorized by machine type.

Greco GO1400DS with TS Vibrato Early Model, 1978

The top-of-the-line model in the GO series!!
Although it is an earlier model, it is equipped with a TS vibrato, and at the Kanda Shokai Repair Room
It has been modified with aftermarket additions.
Carefully selected wood, its luxurious appearance exudes an air of sophistication!
It comes standard with a variety of functions such as 1 volume, 1 tone, and 3-band EQ, allowing for a wide range of sound shaping.
Possible!!

【SPEC.】
BODY: Sen+Maple+Sen Arched-top
NECK:Maple+Walnut 7pcs Speedway-neck
FINGERBOARD:Ebony
PICKUPS:Original PU-3D x2
BRIDGE:TS Vibrato *Modified

Gold control cavity plate.

The luxurious gold adjustable cover
The words "Speed Way" are there!!

The position markers are brass ring-shaped.
We've selected domestically produced ebony (striped ebony) wood!!

The control is an active 3-band circuit.
Equalizer.

Amidst the complex wiring, the active circuit board
It is equipped with a wide variety of sound options.
We will provide you with a solution.

It is equipped with the original PU-3D pickup.
This unit has an ivory pickup cover.Early model. The TS vibrato was standard on later models.It has been modified, but it has been altered.12 poles newly developed for the GO seriesIt's a piece-type design, and fine adjustments can be made with a hex wrench!!

Greco GOⅡ950NT, manufactured in 1979.

The top-of-the-line model that appeared at the end of the GO II series!!
I selected a Walnut & Mahogany body!!
It features two switches, mode and phase, allowing for a wide variety of 16 different sound shaping options.Possible!!
This unit comes standard with a TS vibrato and features a 3-single type design.

The GOⅡ550 and GOⅡ750 models feature a two-humbucker pickup configuration.

【SPEC.】
BODY: Walnut + Mahogany + Walnut
NECK:Maple+Walnut 7pcs Speedway-neck
FINGERBOARD: Ebony
PICKUPS: Original PU-250 x3
BRIDGE:TS Vibrato

Speedway neck with matte finish.
Only the top-of-the-line models use the finest materials.

The GO II is a Stratocaster that gives a slim impression.
The specifications were changed to a 6-head type.

The fretboard is made of high-quality black ebony.

Front and rear pickups share the same volume control.The center control has independent volume control.Tone control.
Center pickup mode switch(2 single coils / half tone / series) & phasemounted.

Compared to the original GO, it features a simpler passive circuit.

The GOⅡ is equipped with three single-coil pickups.
#GOⅡ550, GOⅡ750 are two humbuckers.
specification.

Greco GOⅢ1500N, manufactured in 1979.

The TS vibrato is standard equipment, and the pickup configuration is HSH.
GOⅢ has evolved with the involvement of Godiego guitarist Takami Asano in its development.
This model was affectionately known as the "Asano Model."

【SPEC.】
BODY: Maple arched-top
NECK:Maple+Walnut 7pcs Speedway-neck
FINGERBOARD: Ebony
PICKUPS:Original PU-3D x2, PU-250 x1
CONTROLS: MV-3V-3T-6WaySW
BRIDGE:TS Vibrato

Selected figured maple wood, with an arched top.

The head is slightly more angular and simpler compared to the original GO.

The ebony fretboard features beautiful and elegant arabesque inlays.

A boost switch has been added, which is not present in the original. Each pickup has simple independent volume and tone controls, and it is equipped with six versatile rotary switches.

Inside the cavity is a battery for an aftermarket booster.
Equipped with

The front and rear pickups are the same "PU-3D" pickups used in the later GO models.
The center pickup is the "PU-250" with a fixed pole piece.

Greco GOⅡ1000DS, manufactured in 1979.

This is Greco's first 12-string model, a truly rare and exceptional piece!!
The basic specifications are the same as the 750, but the body is made of solid sen wood.
The double strings add depth to the sound, resulting in a rich and full tone!

【SPEC.】
BODY: Solid Sen
NECK:Maple+Mahogany Speedway-neck
FINGERBOARD: Rosewood
PICKUPS: Original PU-250 x3

Black aluminum backplate.
The absence of a tremolo cover gives it a clean, uncluttered sound.

The 12-string model has a volute to maintain neck strength.

The fretboard is made of rosewood, and it features simple dot inlays.

The toggle switch allows you to select between the front and rear pickups, and by combining them with the center pickup, you can create variations not available on a Stratocaster, such as "front + rear" and "front + center + rear".

Since it has almost the same specifications as the 50, the cavity is quite simple.

The sustain plate is not mounted. The bridge saddles have grooves cut into them in two places. It is equipped with three "PU-250" pickups.

GOAT Original

Greco GO Brawler TS Vibrato
Replacement tremolo arm

We manufactured an arm bar for Greco's original floating tremolo unit, the "TS Vibrato." The beautiful shape and texture, with its unique curve, are the result of expert craftsmanship.
Many people may have given up on acquiring this model, as it's nearly 40 years old. Therefore, TC Instruments, a company that deeply loves and respects Japanese vintage instruments, has restored some extremely niche parts specifically for this column. Nickel and gold versions are available.

Selling price
Nickel: 5,000 yen (excluding tax)
Gold: 6,000 yen (excluding tax)

 

How was it?
This time, we featured the GRECO GO series!!

Currently, Japanese vintage wines are gaining increasing recognition overseas, and their market value is soaring.

The guitar I had always dreamed of owning wasTCGAKKIYou might find it there!
We also have a large selection of other Japanese vintage items in stock, so please come visit our store and see if you can find a hidden gem.
Of course, we also welcome inquiries by phone!
Our entire staff looks forward to welcoming you.

 

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